Black Rose
by blackorchid95
Summary: Black Rose: a member of the Avengers and a superhero. But before she was a superhero, she was Rosie Collins - born and raised in Brooklyn, during the 1940s, where she met Steve Rodgers pre-serum and Bucky, before the war. Follow Rosie on her journey starting from the events of 1940 to present day. Not every superhero was born a superhero.


**A/N: **A story that follows the story of the Black Rose—super-heroine and latter member of the Avengers—starting where it all began: Brooklyn, 1940s, in a dusty alleyway with a pre-serum Steve Rodgers.

**NOTE: **This story follows the plotlines of Captain America, Thor, Avengers and every other Marvel movie after that! This story begins under the plotline of Captain America: The First Avenger. It will include crossovers, etc.; this story is completely orientated around my superhero, Black Rose, first known as Rosie Collins. She will undergo similar story lines to Captain America and Bucky; injected with a serum. However, she's different, which will lead to her discovering new powers and capabilities.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but my OC!

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><p><strong>BLACK ROSE<strong>

Rosie Collins had been completely minding her own business when she heard it happen. She had just left the café where she had met her mother for afternoon tea and was walking down the street, in her best Sunday clothes, when she heard a commotion down a back-alley. Her mother would constantly warn her of the dangers lurking in the streets of cities. Gang fights were no place for an 18 year old girl, her mother would tell her. "_Walk on by with your head down_" her mother would advise her, but out of curious mind and nature she saw nothing of gang violence or drunk men commotions.

On the contray, she saw something quite different: A boy, or a small man, being beaten up by another man. The other man was taller, stronger, which was obvious by the way he through each punch. But what made Rosie's stomach churn was the way the smaller man was just _taking _it. Sure, he threw his occasional feeble punch where he could, but even though he had the opportunity to run . . . he wasn't. He took it, like he deserved it. _Or because he wasn't a coward_, Rosie thought afterwards. Either way, when the other man threw a impactful punch that made the small man fall into a metal crash can behind him, Rosie found herself ignoring her mother's advice.

"Hey!" she shouted as she walked down the street, heels clicking against the ground and hands clenched. The two men looked up, the other man mid-kick and the other one nursing his bleeding nose. "What do you think you're doing? Don't you think you've done enough."

The other man scowled at her. "Pardon me, ma'am, but don't you think this is none of your business."

Rosie's teeth clenched together. She didn't like this man at all. He screamed bully and Rosie despised bullies. "I think you should leave."

The man snickered, pushing back a stray lock of hair from his face. "Why don't you go make apple pie or knit something and leave this to us men, little girl." He started stepping forwards her. "You're quite a pretty thing actually. I wonder . . . do you speak to your father with that mouth?"

It all happened quite fast really. One thing she knew, her fists were clenched tightly from the man's comment, the next thing she knew her fist was colliding with his nose. A deafening _crack_ echoed through the alley-way, followed by the man's cry of pain. His hands flew to his nose, his back hunched over and eyes scrunched closed in pain.

"You _bitch_!" the man cried.

"Hey!" the smaller man had made reappearance, pushing the man away from Rosie. "Watch your mouth. That's no way to speak to a lady."

The man glowered at the smaller man. "Fuck off."

The smaller man didn't even flinch. "I think you should leave."

Despite everything, the man seemed to take his word. And with a few cursing words in their direction, he stumbled out of the alleyway—still clutching his broken nose, where there was blood now seeping through the gaps of his fingers. Rosie and the smaller man watched the man go until he had stumbled out of sight into the street. There was a short silence between them, until the smaller man broke it.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, tone of voice full of concern.

Rosie pulled her eyes from the spot where the man had stumbled out of sight, finally getting a look of the smaller man who she had just defended. He was smaller than her, only by a few inches though, with blonde hair that was cut like most of the man in Brooklyn (only lacking that horrible grease they seemed to slick it back with) and grey eyes framed with black lashes. He looked around her age, give or take a year. It was just this height that made him look smaller.

"I should be asking you that." Rosie pointed out the bruises on his cheek and the bleeding cut on his lip. "Here,"—Rosie reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief—"Your lip is bleeding." The small man took her handkerchief gratefully and pressed it against his lip. "Hey,"—she said after a moment passing—"Don't worry about that guy. I'm sure you'll never see him again and highly likely he'll want to brag about the fact he got his nose broken by a woman." Rosie smirked at the end.

A smile was evident behind the handkerchief. "I'm not worried." The smaller guy said. "And I couldn't care less if he tried it again. He's a bully and bullies expect you to run, and I don't run."

Rosie was impressed to say the least. "Well . . . that's good." Rosie smiled and struck out a hand. "I'm Rosie Collins."

The smaller man shook her hand with the one that wasn't holding the handkerchief. "Steve Rodgers."

Rosie shook his hand with a grin plastered from one side to another. "It is a pleasure meeting you Steve, even under the circumstances."

After a few more words exchanged, Rosie left Steve at the end of the street and carried about their separate ways. Steve lingered in Rosie's mind for the rest of the week, before her life grasped her full-attention and by the end of the month, Steve was forgotten about.

Rosie was a full-time nurse at a local hospital in Brooklyn and has been since she left school at 16. I suppose you could say healing was her calling in life. After her Dad died in a foreign hospital, under lack of hospital care, Rosie sort it her mission to make sure that never happened to another soul. She lived in her own apartment, just a minute walk to the hospital which she shared with two other nurses: Madison and Audrey. Unlike Madison and Audrey, whom seem to have some form of social life, the hospital was Rosie's life. Her Matron couldn't seem to get rid of her, and would on most nights have to force Rosie to leave at the end of her shifts.

The only time Rosie ever really saw someone outside of her work was usually when she had afternoon tea with her mother on Sundays. Occasionally they were joined by her brother, Michael, but that wasn't often; now that he was married, full-time employed and a father of two very hyperactive children, Michael rarely had the time and whenever they got the chance to see him was a treasured moment.

Rosie's mother lived on the suburbs of Brooklyn, in the house Rosie was brought up in . . . the house that was still filled with memories of her father. Rosie had yet to go back to her childhood home since her father died, because of that reason alone. The memories that the house brought back to her were haunting. Her mother understood though; in-fact, Rosie seemed to think her mother loves to get out of the house. The only other occasion that her mother spends out of the house is either when she is teaching crafts at a local kindergarten or when she's visiting her old friend Viv.

While Rosie's mother spends all the time in her house, Rosie seems to spend most of her time away from her apartment.

Exactly five months after the incident in the alleyway with Steve, Rosie was experiencing her first evening off in quite some time. And instead of spending it with her feet up and her nose tucked into a book, she was staring at herself in the mirror—watching through the reflection as Madison styled her hair and Audrey applied lipstick to her lips. Audrey was her height, with pretty auburn hair and an equally pretty face. Audrey was perhaps the most promiscuous of the three of them; frequently spending nights with different men every fortnight. Madison was dark-haired, with cork-screw curls and dark brown eyes, slightly smaller than the both of them. Madison seemed to be a mix between them both—she enjoyed men, dancing and pretty dressing like Audrey does but likes her novels and is dedicated to her job like Rosie is.

Regardless to differences, they all got along well, and tonight was one of those rare nights that they could all spend it together. So, naturally, Rosie had been roped into spending it at an exposition with three other man that Audrey had invited. Of course Audrey knew them all, but neither Madison nor Rosie knew anything about them, only that they worked at their hospital as doctors. Obviously Audrey was treating this like some kind of triple date because Audrey had dressed Rosie in one of her special outfits: a lilac skirt of plenty of petty coats underneath and a pretty white blouse. Ontop of that Rosie's blonde hair was curled into the current fashion with her bangs clipped to the side.

She felt too dressed up for just attending an exposition.

When they arrived at the place where the exposition was being held, it was night and the place was streaming with people. Audrey led them through the crowds to where three men were waiting, talking happily between each other. "Hello fellas," Audrey greeted them flirtatiously. All of the men's eyes narrowed on Audrey. Rosie could see where this was going; a night spent talking to men who were fighting for Audrey's attention. She expected nothing different. "These are my best friends and roommates: Maddy and Rosie. Girls, this is Will, Ted and Tom."

As they made their way into the exposition, they seemed to find themselves paired up: Audrey naturally paired off with the most good-looking one there, Will; Maddy with Tom, which left Rosie walking behind with Ted. Ted was tall, slightly on the lanky side, with large black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, wavy dark brown hair and an element of snootiness in the air around him. They spoke mainly in small talk, awkward at first. Ted (who actually preferred to be called Edward) was a surgeon and mainly got into the career through family connections. As it turns out, Edward's father was a quite an important benefactor of the hospital. After that, Rosie's opinion of him seemed to spiral downwards as the more he talked about him. From what it sounded, Edward hadn't worked a hard day in his life.

And much to Rosie's dismay, Maddy and Audrey seemed to be getting along just swell. Trust Rosie to get dumped with the snotty posh-kid.

"You're a nurse in the acute unit, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Edward nodded. "Hmm. I remember seeing you around every once in a while. My mother was a Matron in the acute medicine ward, before you know, but after father married her she didn't need to work another day in her life. Now she spends most of her time tending for our house in SoHo. She was one of the top nurses in the hospital by the time she was your age. Don't worry, being a high-flyer isn't for everyone. Some women aren't made to be career-driven . . . it isn't in their nature, after all. My mother was an exception."

By this point, Rosie's hands were curled into fists and her teeth grinding. _The nerve of the man!_ "Yes, well, most people work hard for what they're working as. They aren't just handed it through wads of cash and family connections." She snapped angrily.

Edward looked down at her and blinked. "No, you're quite right. Some people aren't quite as lucky as me."

Rosie refrained her jaw to drop. Was he deaf? Could he not see that was an obvious insult? Rosie huffed, turning away as Edward went to inspect an object around glass. Perhaps it was a good thing Edward was so naïve, it probably would have avoided a very awkward evening. Rosie sighed, unclenched her fists and wandered away from Edward. She needed to breathe and let her brain un-fog. She looked over to her right where, on the other side of the room, she could see Audrey and Will both hitting it off marvellously. Audrey was gripping onto his side, giggling about what he had just said. Maddy and Tom looked like they were getting along well too; Tom pointing to a plane model in the sky, talking whilst Maddy watched him intently, smile on her lips.

_At least they are enjoying themselves,_ Rosie thought.

She let her eyes drift through the crowds, people watching, as most people enjoyed themselves at the exposition. That was when she spotted him, just a few feet away. "Steve?" she said, aloud, without really acknowledging it. The small man looked around, eyes searching until they landed on Rosie. Rosie grinned and walked forward, surprised to find herself so happy to see him, when she had only met him the once. She walked forward, heels clicking along the polished floor, and stopped a few feet away. "How are you? It's good to see you!"

"Very well, thank you, Rosie. It's good to see you too." He smiled back at her, seemingly just as happy to see her and talk to her, despite the circumstances that they met in.

Rosie smiled wider. "I see the bruises have healed up just nicely." Rosie examined.

Steve chuckled. "I imagine they would have, after five months."

Rosie laughed.

"Steve?"

It was then Rosie realised that Steve wasn't alone. Behind him, was two girls and a man. The man was tall, but not quite as tall as Edward was, with a handsome face; pale skin with pale eyes, a strong jaw-line and a straight-toothed smile. The hair on his head was mostly covered by an army hat, but the sides of his hair were dark brown. Rosie took in his uniform, feeling her heart clenched as she realised this man—like many thousands more—was off to war to fight, unsure to whether he would ever return. The two girls beside him were watching them all uncomfortably, one brunette the other blonde.

"Bucky, this is Rosie. I, urr, met Rosie when . . ." he seemed to hesitate, giving Rosie a side-ways glance.

Rosie decided to step in. "When he saved me from this guy. He threw a mean right swing. Gave the guy the bloodiest, broken nose I've ever seen—and this is coming from a nurse." Rosie noticed how the blonde girl seemed to look at Steve with a new found interest.

Bucky blinked. "Really?" he asked Steve, gob-smacked.

"Yep." Rosie said.

Bucky laughed, clapping Steve on the back. "Steve Rodgers, defending the streets of Brooklyn."

"Brooklyn's very own hero." Rosie piped in and Bucky grinned at her. She smiled back at him, then opened her mouth once more, but then was distracted by her name being called. She looked around and saw Edward, some metres away, quite rudely waving his hand to her in an impatient manner. "I've got to go." Rosie muttered, frustrated. Bucky and Steve's smile seemed to have dropped and they were watching an impatient Edward warily. "Hopefully I'll bump into you again, Steve." Rosie smiled at Steve, who nodded and smiled back. Somewhere in the distance, Edward called her name again. She clenched her jaw, rolled her eyes. "Bye." She gave them all a delicate wave before turning and walking stiffly back to Edward.

"C'mon, the show's about to start." He grabbed her arm and began pulling her towards where a crowd was forming around the stage. As soon as they stopped walking, and had joined the crowd, Rosie angrily shook Edward's hand off. But he didn't seem to notice, dropping his arm back to his side, face looking at the car on the stage. "Father said this Howard Stark is a genius, met him a few times, but his head is up in the clouds—filled with over-realistic idea and crazy imaginations on how the future should be."

Rosie rolled her eyes and looked around her. She spotted Steve a few metres away, in the crowd. He nodded to her and she smiled back, flashing her bright white teeth. Her eyes wondered to his friend (_Bucky was it_?) who was also looking her way. He gave his hat a tip, giving her a friendly smirk. Not quite sure how to reply, she sent him a small smile before looking away, back at the stage. The lights changed and moments later, to a loud applause, Howard Stark appeared on stage accompanied by beautiful blonde-bombshells.

She watched in amazement as Stark managed to make the car hover into the air. It hovered for a few seconds before it crashed back down to the ground. This didn't seem to affect the crowd though, because the applaud that followed the car's collision to the ground was ear-deafening. Rosie joined in on the loud applause, feeling a hot burning anger when she heard Edward laugh rudely and made a snide comment on Stark's invention. Of course Edward was oblivious to the angry look on her face as he spoke on his ear, his eyes still on the stage, smirking and shaking his head.

After that, Edward and Rosie went to find the others through the crowds, all the while Edward ranting on how Stark's inventions were lacking. When they eventually found the others, Rosie was about to burst with fury. She had never met a man who had rubbed her up such a wrong way until now. She thought she had finally seen the back of them as they left the exposition, when Audrey made the worst suggestion all night.

"Hey, why don't we go dancing?"

Only Audrey would make a suggestion like that.

The next thing they knew, they were in a cab, heading towards one of the bars that Audrey had said was the best for a night of drinks and dancing. The bar was swarming with people by the time they got there, and it was only when Rosie looked at the clock on the wall behind the bar that she realised it was 11 o'clock at night. She would have to make her move to leave soon, if she wanted to be well-rested for work tomorrow. In the heaving bar, Audrey, Maddy and the others went to find a table whilst Edward and Rosie were left to get the drinks. Once they reached the bar, Edward struck immediate conversation with a man he recognised and completely ignored Rosie who stood on the sidelines, eyes wondering, waiting for someone to serve her . . . until she was approached.

"Looks like we both chose the wrong night to go dancing." A voice said beside her. She looked right and saw Steve's friend beside her, leaning sideways against the bar, body towards her and head turned towards the bar.

Rosie licked her lips. "It wasn't my idea and I have no intention to be staying here for much longer." She said a little sourly.

He looked at her, then at something behind her. "I think I can see why." He was obviously gesturing to Edward. Rosie didn't bother to look around, knowing full-well Edward was oblivious. "Rosie isn't it?" she nodded. "Do yourself a favour and ditch the shrimp."

"It's not that easy." Rosie argued. Steve's friend raised his eyebrows. "There's nothing I want more. But this is a triple date, you see." Rosie gestured to where her other friends were sitting.

Bucky followed her line of sight, looked at her friends for a split second and then looked back at her. "Something tells me they wouldn't notice, even if they were blind-folded."

Rosie shrugged her shoulders, knowing it was true. She then looked around him. "Where's Steve?"

"He got . . . pre-occupied." He answered, hesitantly.

Rosie's eyebrows rose, thinking back to the blonde girl they were with. "Oh."

"I sense an attachment you have towards my friend. Should I be worried you'll steal him away from me?"

Rosie laughed. "Steve is . . . he's great."

"Believe me, I don't need you to tell me that." He nodded.

Rosie cocked her nose to the side, smile appearing on her lips. "You really care about him." he shrugs. Their conversation was interrupted by a bartender coming to take their drink orders. When Bucky offered to pay for Rosie's drink, Rosie interrupted. "I'm buying for my friends as well."

Bucky looked at her. "Well, how about _I _by for your drink and the bean stalk you're with can pay for your friends' drinks."

Rosie bit her lip and caved. "If you insist." She then turned to the bartender, placing her order. The bartender nodded and went off to make the drinks, only to be back in a few moments. "Thank you." she said, softly, when the bartender handed by Bucky's change.

Bucky smirked. "You're welcome." He said smoothly before disappearing from the bar.

After that, Rosie stood at the bar ten more minutes—half listening to Edward's conversation, sipping her drink, before giving up and making her way to the table her friends were still sitting at. But it wasn't much better there than it was at the bar. The others ignored her, too immersed in each-other's company, that they only snapped out of it when Edward returned with their drinks. They took a few sips from their drink when Audrey suggested they go dance. That was when Rosie decided she'd had enough. She wanted to go.

"I'll walk you to a cab." Edward jumped up from his seat.

Rosie gritted her teeth. "I'll be fine."

"Nonsense." He said. "You're a defenceless woman."

Rosie clenched her jaw and let Edward walk her out of the bar, onto the street and into the cool open air.

"Rosie," Edward grasped her attention by grabbing her wrist. "We should spend an evening together, as just the two of us. Have a pleasant meal in Manhattan. I can even show you where I grew up in SoHo. I'm sure you and my mother would get on splendidly, your class difference aside . . ."—

"I'm going to stop you right there." Rosie held up one hand. "I wouldn't spend another meal with you, even if we were the last man and woman on Earth. Tonight, you couldn't have been more pompous and obnoxious if you tried. I would never date someone who feels superior over someone, plainly because of their father's status in society. Nor would I date someone who has no real manners or regard for anyone's feelings. In all due respect Edward, I think you are suited for someone completely different. Thank you for walking me out, but I can make my own way home from here."

Rosie turned sharply on the spot and began walking down the street. A few feet down the street, Rosie heard a distant "My father would hear of this!" from somewhere behind her. She rolled her eyes, completely unfazed by this, and carried on walking down the street. She didn't look behind her before she turned down the next street, nor did she feel tempted to. She turned down the next street without so much of a notion to look back to where she had left Edward standing.

It was when she had reached the third street that she suddenly became aware of the cool chill in the air and how exposed she was to it. Goosebumps began to creep across her bare arms, legs and neck. The streets were quiet and dark, just the dimly lit lamps casting an eerie glow on patches of the street to be seen and the sound of her heels clicking on ground to be heard. She was alone on the street, or at least that was what she so thought. Out of the blue, she felt herself being grabbed and pulled by a rough hand. The next thing she knew, she was being pressed against a wall and something—some_body_—was pressed hard against her.

"What's a pretty lady like you doing out so late?" a disgusting voice wheezed across her face. The scent of the man's breath filled her nose, almost making her gag. She shruggled against him, screamed at the top of lungs before a grubby hand slapped over her mouth, muffling her scream. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." he snarled evilly. Then Rosie felt something sharp and cool press into her neck. "Not unless you want to live." He then chuckled darkly. "Or perhaps I should just ruin that pretty face of yours. Pretty girls like you don't _deserve_ everything they get. They only see the good side of life, always getting what they want when they want. Bet you always get what you want, _don't you_ girlie?" Rosie screamed when she felt a hand grab at her skirt.

The next thing she knew, the man was gone and thrown onto the alleyway ground. "Get away from her, you filth." A second man's voice said through the darkness. "I beat the shit out of you and drag you to a cell, where you deserve to rot." He snarled. He went to grab the man from the ground, but the man quickly pulled himself up and ducked around her rescuer and ran out of the alleyway. "Don't think you've escaped!" the man shouted. "You'll find yourself behind bars soon enough!" but the attacker had already disappeared. The man reached forward, lightly grasping her wrist and pulled her out of the alleyway—into the dim light of the lamp and moonlight from above. "Are you alright?"

"B-B-Bucky?" she shakily said, recognising her rescuer.

He looked angry, jaw clocked and lips-tightly pressed together. His face softened when he saw her face. "C'mere." He tightly tugged her wrist and hugged her. "Everything's alright." He put one arm around her waist and the other at the back of her head, nestled in her hair. Rosie's shakes began to worsen and her throat began to make noises at the back of her mouth. "He's gone now, he won't hurt you." Rosie's hands tightly grasped onto his uniform. "I'm sorry . . . I should have gone after him and stopped him."

"It-It's f-fine." Rosie stuttered. "L-Like you s-said, h-he'll find his way i-into a jail-cell s-soon enough."

Bucky squeezed her before gently letting her go. He brushed a hand through her hair and over her cheek, looking intently at her face. "You're in shock. Here,"—he took off his uniform jacket and draped it over her shoulders—"We need to get you home. Where do you live?" Rosie stuttered out her address. "That's only a few blocks from here. We can walk it. C'mon, lets get you home and out of the streets." Bucky wrapped an arm around her shoulder, tucking her against his body and began walking them down the streets.

Rosie's knees knocked together as they shook but somehow they managed to make it to her apartment building in record time. Outside the building, they slowed down.

"I'm not leaving you like this." Bucky suddenly said, firmly. "I'm going to see you into your apartment and leave once the shock has warn off."

"Bucky . . ." Rosie tried to protest.

"No buts." He cut her off. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I left you right here, right now?"

Rosie had no energy to argue with him. She took out her keys and they made their way up to her apartment on the fourth floor. They walked in silence, only breaking it once they had stepped inside into the apartment and closed the door. She slid off the jacket from her shoulders and handed it him. "I think you'll need this." She whispered. Bucky looked at her and carefully took the jacket from her. "Can I get you anything? Any tea or coffee? I-I think we might have some spare milk but . . ."

"Water is fine." Bucky interjected.

Rosie nodded and shuffled to the kitchen, getting two glasses of water, and coming back. She found Bucky sitting on one of the armchairs, looking at the book she was currently reading in his hand. "Here," she murmured, passing him the glass shakily. He took it with a steady hand, and watched her sit on the couch beside him. She stared into thin air, sipping the glass of water with a shaky hand. The next thing she knew, she was crying and Bucky was beside her, comforting her.

"Hey," Bucky whispered, hugging her to his side. "It's alright. You're alright."

"A-All of those patients that h-have come into the h-hospital, w-worse than me . . . all t-those women and c-children . . . I-I never understood until n-now. . . T-the hopelessness . . . the f-fear."

"I know,"—Bucky murmured—"But you're safe now. No-one's going to hurt you. I won't let them."

It's funny because, only three hours ago, Rosie had never met this man. Now she couldn't think of another man she couldn't trust more than him, in this moment. Who'd have known.

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><p><strong>AN:** And this is where it all begins! I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. Please give me feedback. Tell me what you think and how I could have done it better. I'm always up for improvements, where I can get them :)


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